Method and apparatus for forming automobile side rails



METHOD ANDAPPARAIUS FOR FORMING AUTOMOBILE SIDE RAILS Aug. 23, 1938. E.RIEMENSCYHNEIDER Filed Dec. 16, 1,935

' INVENTOR A e/v5.57 lP/L'MEN56H/VF/DEJE BY J 7 ATTORN Y practice ofgreater economy in the production of Patented Aug. 23, 1938.

PATENT OF'FI'CE METHOD AND APPARATUS FoR FORMING AUTOMOBILE SIDE RAILSErnest Riemenschne'ider, Cleveland, Ohio, as-

signor toThe Midland Steel Products Company, Cleveland, Ohio, acorporation of Ohio Application December 16, 1933, Serial No. 702,732

14 Claims.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for producing articlesfrom continuous strip stock, portions of which automatically come to astop for operations thereon while other portions travel continuously.

' This invention has special reference to the completely closed boxsection side rails having apertures provided in various portions thereoffor the attachment of other parts of the motor vehicle and frame beforethe rail is formed into closed box section thereby obviating thenecessity of providing special equipment for the provision of suchopenings after formation of the rail into such box section. Theinvention is also susceptible of use for the continuous production ofside rails of other than completely closed boxsection and includes meansfor simultaneously developing the contour of the ends of the railsduring the perforating operation. I

A further object of the invention is to produce a multiplicity of siderails continuously and almost'completely formed while a plurality ofrails exist in the form of a continuous strip or other form .as itissues from the apparatus, requiring only the separation -of theindependent rails and simple, finishing operations to give the railfinal contour.

Another object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatusfor producing a plurality of side rails from a continuous strip uponwhich certain operations are performed while the stock movescontinuously and on which other operations are performed duringcessation of the feed of the stock; these two operations being corelatedby means providing sufficient slack in the strip to permit continuoustravel of a portion of the strip while another portion thereof has itsmovements interrupted.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawing forming a part of the descriptive matter andwherein like immerals are employed to designate like parts throughoutthe several views,

. Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation of the apparatus showing theessential steps for carry- Fig. 6 is a fragmentary perspective of aportion of the perforated and formed strip showing the preformedadjacent ends of a pair of rails prior to their separation.

Referring now'more specifically to the drawing, the numeral I0designates a coil or reel of light gauge steel strip stock freelyrotatably mounted in a position to deliver the strip across theelongated bed ll of a. perforating and shearing press. The press has avertically movable ram carrying a multiplicity of punches l3 to providethe strip ill with properly positioned apertures or holes l5, and alsohas a cutting or slitting punch H1 at the end of the ram to slit or cutthe strip transversely with a substantially X-shaped incision I6, asshown in Fig. 2 upon each reciprocation of the ram. This incision may beof any desired developed shape to provide the ends of each rail sectionof the strip with a suitable contour when the blank is formed up intosubstantially a closed box-section side rail.

Adjacent the delivery end of the perforating press, is a pair ofsuper-imposed knurled feed rolls ll, which engage opposite surfaces ofthe strip Ill at the margins thereof for drawing the strip across thebed of the press. These rolls are geared together to rotate in unisonand are spaced so as to firmly grip the strip for attaining a positivefeed thereof. The rolls 5! are preferably of a circumference to make twoor three complete revolutions for drawing a suficient length of thestrip across the bed of the press to form a single side rail. Anysuitable means may be provided for causing the rolls ill to periodicallycease rotation when a predetermined length of the strip has been drawnacross the bed and to remain idle for a sufiicient length of time topermit the ram i2 of the press to perforate the blank and elevate toclear the stock. The movement of the ram i2 may bemanually controlled orautomatically controlled from the rolls IT with suitable mechanismwhereby the ram 83 does not descend with its perforating dies toperforate the strip until the rolls ll stop. In the present embodimentand for purposes of illustration only, a gear rotatable with the lowerroll IT is shown meshing with a gear i8 of an electric motor 49 to drivethe rolls the requisite number 22 which controls the starting andstopping of strip across the bed of the press.

lower of which meshes with a gear 20 of a con- 7 tinuously operatingmotor 2|. The armature shaft or gear may be provided with means coop--erating with an automatically controlled switch 22 which controls thestarting and stopping of motor it, although the latter may be controlledmanually or otherwise than illustrated. 'These rolls 24 constitute thefirst pass of a'rolling mill 25' designed to bend the flat strip Stockthrough the various stages illustrated in Fig. 3 to form the strip intohollow section or substantially that shown by the section 26 of Fig. 3wherein the two longitudinal margins of the strip are not 15 broughtinto contact but are permitted to remain in slightly spaced relationbefore entering the edge spacing and welding apparatus to be presentlydescribed. In its passage through the rolling mill, the strip i0 is bentalong the dotted lines 21 shown in Fig. 2 to be formed into hollowsection and it will be noted that the ends of the incision it stop atapproximately the outer bend lines 21 whereby the continuity of thestrip remains and can be drawn through the apparatus until it is weldedalong the longitudinal margins II to form the desired section. The stripmay be moved through the rolling mill by any one or more pairs of therolls 2! or by means external to the rolling mill, but in any event thestrip from the press is guided into the rolling mill between a pair ofidler rolls 38 at the end thereof.

Obviously. the speed of movement of the strip through the rolling millorthe surface speed of the rolls 2! is co-related with the surface speedof the rolls H in order to maintain a predetermined degree of slackstock 8| between the press .of the rolling mill whereby the latter cancontinuously operate while the strip on the bed-of the press I I remainsstationary to receive the necessary perforations and incision while therolls llremainat a standstill. This slack portion 3| of the strip ismaintained by its e over an idler roll 32 which a constant upward pullon the slackportion of the strip by any suitable means such for exampleas a cable 32 being suspended over a sheave wheel with a counterweight aattached to the end thereof to maintain the elevation of the pulley l2and proper tension upon the slack portion of the strip. II areautomatically stopped to enable the press to make the requisiteperforations in the length of thestrip, the continuous operation of therolling'mill uses up a portion of the slack causing a lowering of thepulley 32 and of the slack portion to. approximately the dotted lines 04shown in Fig. 1 and Just before this slack has been taken up the rollsi'l automatically start operation again upon elevation of theperforating punch to move another predetermined length of the stripacross thebedofthepresswhilemoreslackisbeing provided.-

After beingbrought tothe box form 2! shown in m. 3, the formed sectionis moved through a confining throat 8| which moves the edges of thehollow section into substantial abutment thereby causinrthese edges tofulcrum on a spreader roll t. havinga circumferential rib 01 as shown inFig. 4 which causes the-seam to open up a'predcterm'ined distance as itenters under a welding instrumentality 88 as described in myco-pendmemos ScrialNo. 880,481. This welding 'instrumentality may be ofany-type but is preferably of the atomic hydrogen type including aplurality of atomic hydrogen units llv adapted to provide s'uiiicientliquid metal on the spaced apart when the rolls "enamels 4 edges of thestock to assure completepenetration of the weld as the edges of thestock are moved the box section and to force the welded portions intothe same plane. Obviously, the section fag-med by the apparatus may betubular or other- If preferred, the tubular formed stock after beingwelded is run through a series of straightening rolls 43 from where itpasses to a cut-off station 44, where the incisions ii are completed toseparate the stock into individual section of predetermined length,preferably of a length to constitute a side rail of an automotivevehicle.

When the strip is formed into box section, the intermediate portion 45of the incision extends transversely across the bottom of the boxsection while the two arms 46 at either side of the intermediate sectiondiverge upwardly as shown in Fig. 6 for the full depth of the sides ofthe rail. The ends of these incisions 46 terminate approximately at theupper corners of the box secare severed by cutting transversely of thebox section along two lines 41 by means of electric torches'orotherwise.- If it is desired to accomplish this separationautomatically, an automatic cut-off 48 embodying saws or cutters '4. mayhave its movement controlled so as to grip the stock adjacent thedivision points and move along with the stock as it continues its travelthrough the apparatus while the saws or cutters 49 are making finalincisions 41 to separate the stock into individual sections. After eachseverance, the automatic cutoff automatically moves to the left of Fig.1 to grip the stock at the next succeeding pointof division to againstart cutting along the lines 41 as the stock moves to the right of theInstead of separating the individual rails by cutting incisions 4i and 4all the way through the strip and subsequently cutting apart along thelines 41, they may be separated by cutting along these or other linesonly part way through the thickness of the strip to provide weakenedlines of division. Along these weakened'lines there is only sufficientmaterial left by which succeeding sections orjrails can be pulled orpropelled, one by the other, through the entire machine. However, these,lines. are only of such strength that they will break apart as thefinished box section stock .is guided over means causing rupture alongthe weakened lines and separation of the rails. Such means may besuitable fulcrum member against which the box section stock is pressedwith suitable pressure means exerting pressure at points on oppositesides of the weakened line to be broken and in a direction toward thefulcrum. In the present arrangement of weakened lines, the fulcrum isapplied under the line 45 and the stock is bent down over the same atopposite sides'of the-fulcrum, or the latter may be moved upwardlyagainst the dii shaped to provide each rail section with forward (6 andrear klckup portions in a suitable tube bending mill or mechanism toprovide the completed rail having the necessary apertures in oppositesides thereof and inregistration in some instances for the attachment ofother parts of the motor vehicle and frame parts. While the process hasbeen described for the production of automobile side rails, it isobvious that the other articles can be produced by this method.

It is to be understood that various changes in the process and apparatusmay be made without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An apparatus for producing articles from continuous strip stockincluding a reciprocatory intermittently operated press into which thestrip is intermittently fed and slack is produced ou the exit side ofthe press, a continuously operating mechanism for continually moving thestrip away from the slack stock, a counter weighted roll between thepress and mechanism over which the strip passes to maintainthe slackstrip in condition to compensate for the intervals of nontravel ofportions of the strip in advance of the roll while undergoing operationsin the press whereby said mechanism on the opposite side of said counterweighted roll continuously moves the strip therethrough.

2. The method of continuously forming tubular articles from continuousstrip stock, consisting of weakening the strip transversely at intervalsto provide a plurality of individual sections of stock joined bycontinuous longitudinal uninterrupted marginal edges whereby one sectionis propelled along by its adjacent section, bending the stock intotubular form while the sections are joined and presenting two contiguousuncut edges throughout the length of the strip and then welding saiduncut edges together.

- 3. The method of continuously forming tubular articles from continuousstrip stock; consisting of providing the strip stock transversely atintervals with substantially X-shaped slits termi nating at spacedintervals from the longitudinal edges of the strip, forming the slitedstrip stock into substantially tubular cross section whereby theunslitted margins of the strip form substantially one side of thetubular section, welding the .:longitudinal margins of the striptogether, and

then separating the portions 0! the strip between the slits by severingthe strip along lines extending through the endsof the X-shaped slits.

4. An apparatus'for producing tubular metallic articles from continuousmetal strip stock including an intermittently operated blanking pressadapted to cut the stock, feed mecha-- v nism for intermittently movingpredetermined lengths of stock through said press at intervals forproducing a quantity of slack stock at the exit side of the press aftereach stoppage. of the movement ofthe stock,.a drive mechanism for saidfeed mechanism, and continuously. operating means for continuouslyforming the strip stock from the slack stock into tubular form, andmeans operable by said continuously'operate ing means for intermittentlyoperating the drive mechanism for the feed mechanism to move the stockthrough the press.

- 5. An apparatus for producing automobile side rails from continuousmetal strip stock, including an intermittently operable part for cuttingthe stock, means for holding strip stock, feed means for movingpredetermined lengths of the stock from said means through the press andproducing slack stock at the exit side of the press, and

continuously operating means for continuouslymined lengths of the stockfrom said holding means through the press and for producing slack stockat the exit side of the press, continuously operating means for formingthe strip stock from the slack into tubular form with. the longitudinalmarginal edges of the stock adjacent one another, and for intermittentlyoperating the aforesaid feed means, slack stock maintaining meansbetween the press and forming means, weldingmeansior joining saidmarginal edges of the strip stock after formation, and means-forseparating the formed stock into predetermined lengths.

7. An apparatus for producing metallic arti- I cles from continuousstrip stock including an intermittently operable press for making cutstransversely of the stock, intermittently operable feed means for movingpredetermined lengths of the stock through the press. and producingslack stock on the eint side of the press, continuously operating meansfor forming the strip stock'from the slack stock into tubular form withthe longitudinal marginal edges of the stock adjacent one another,welding means for joining said marginal edges of the strip stock afterformation into tubular form, and means for completing the cuts in thestock made by the press for separating the formed stock into separatetubular articles. v

8. An apparatus forproducing tubular metal stock from flat stripstockcomprising means for cutting openings inthe fiat stock having continuousstraight uninterrupted longitudinal edges, means for progressivelyforming the flat strip stock into tubular form with its longitudinalmarginal edges adjacent each other, and means for continuously weldingsaid uninterrupted marginal edges of the strip together.

9. The method of forming tubular metal pieces by continuous weldingmethods, including producing laterally slotted flat strip steely havingcontinuous uninterrupted longitudinal marginsr shaping and continuouslywelding said margins of said stock so as to effect a continuousproduction of circumferentially slotted tubular welded stock, and thencutting the portions of said stock circumferentially separating itsslot.

10. A method of forming automobile side rails" from continuous stripmetal stock consisting of first intermittently moving the strip to blankand perforate the strip and to produce slack in the strip beyond thepoint where it is blanked, perforating and blanking the strip duringeach stop of the strip, continuously moving the blanked continuous stripfromsaid slack stock through from continuous strip metal stockconsisting of.

during each stop period, continuously moving the a quantity of slackstock is produced at a point beyond the exit of said device, cutting thestrip during each stop period, continuously moving the strip from saidslack portion into .a continuously operating means, and continuouslyforming said strip stock into hollow section with its longitudinalmargins adjacent each other by continuously feeding. part of the stripfrom said slack into said continuously operating means.

12. A method of forming automobile side railsfirst intermittently movingthe strip stock across the bed of an intermittently operable devicewhereby the stock is intermittently stopped and a quantity of slackstockis produced at a point beyond the exit of said device, cutting thestrip strip from said slack portion into a continuously operating means,and continuously welding the adjacent longitudinal margins to form thestrip into hollow section.

13. The method of continuously forming hollow articles from continuousstrip stock, consisting of providing the strip stock transversely atintervals with slits terminating at spaced interedges of the 813 9..

strip stock, a continuously operatingymechanism F. I

for continuously moving the strip away from the press, feeding rolls fordrawing the stock .throuzh the press at intervals and producing slack atthe exit side of the press, a counter weighted roll between the feedingrolls and said mechanisni over which the strip passes to maintain aquantity of slack in the strip stock, drive means for said continuouslyoperating mechanism, and periodically operated means forthe feedingrolls operated from said drive means of said continuously operatingmechanism.-

